The present disclosure relates generally to a document management system and method.
Many documents have become a mixture, or a composite, of differentially formatted parts. Composite documents may be presented to a user by specialized software as one editable, browsable, approvable, playable document. Different parts are combined together through various serialization mechanisms, e.g. java jar-archive, HP dlf, etc. One example of a composite document is a document-based proposal, including product jpeg-images, a marketing way-clip, a ppt-presentation and an xsl-spreadsheet with financial details.
Composite documents can participate in workflows. A workflow includes a defined set of stages, usually with task(s) at each stage, which the composite document must pass through during its lifecycle. One example of a workflow is an ordered workflow, where the composite document passes from one participant to the next in a particular order. Another example of a workflow is an unordered workflow, where participants may access the composite document in any order and at any time. Still another example of a workflow is a mixed or combinational workflow, where one or more stages of the workflow are ordered and one or more stages of the workflow are unordered. Changing from unordered stages to ordered stages poses challenges in ensuring that every workflow participant taking part in an unordered stage has contributed and/or performed his/her task(s) before the next ordered stage or unordered stage begins.